Canadian eventers closed competed at the final international North American competitions of the 2014 season held in California and Virginia.
At the Galway Downs International Three Day Event, held in Temecula, Calif., October 30 –November 2, 2014, James Atkinson, who currently resides in Ramona, Calif., finished in second place in the CCI2* division partnered with his 2011 Pan American Games mount Gustav, a 15-year-old Oldenburg Thoroughbred cross owned by the rider and Carolyn Hoffos. Sitting in third following dressage with 47.5, Atkinson added only 9.2 cross country time penalties to his score finishing on a three day total of 56.7. Leah Breakey of Carstairs, Alta., took 10th place in the CCI2* division riding her own 16-year-old Oldenburg gelding, Master Plan.
In the CCI1* division, Atkinson was once again the top Canadian riding Landonn II OHF, Dan Michaels’ 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding. The pair was double clean and finished on their dressage score of 45.9 to finish in fifth place. Also finishing on their dressage score of 47.2 was Nikki Ayers of Langley, B.C., and Rubicon, Andree E Stow’s 10-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding, which was good for sixth place. Junior rider Tosca Holmes-Smith, 14, of Chase, B.C., and Paddington, Ali Holmes-Smith’s 19-year-old Welsh gelding, completed her first CCI competition on her dressage score, in 25th place. In 27th place was Breakey riding Master King II, her eight-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding. Rounding out the Canadians in the CCI1* division (30th) was Renee Kalkman of Fort St John, B.C., and El Tivo, her 14-year-old Arabian cross gelding.